Last week, work began on giving the world-famous Snorting Bull at the DBAP some much-needed TLC, work that had previously been scheduled to take place prior to the 2020 season until the COVID-19 pandemic.
Though the next version of the Snorting Bull will not change much in appearance, that edition will have quite the history to live up to.
This was the third Bull in the DBAP’s history, with its first game on April 11, 2008 versus Scranton and its last on September 12, 2019 versus Columbus. In that time period, Durham posted a 971-809 overall record while earning eight South Division crowns, as well as four International League Governors’ Cups, and two Triple-A National Championships.
Not to mention special events at the DBAP such as seven Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Tournaments, plus the 2014 Triple-A All-Star Game. It even saw golf played at the DBAP earlier this year.
The names of those who played in the shadow of the Bull during that period is equally impressive, featuring World Series champions, Gold Glove and Cy Young Award honorees, and even Most Valuable Player winners. Evan Longoria, Ben Zobrist, Wade Davis, David Price, Rocco Baldelli, Chris Archer, Wil Myers, Matt Moore, Kevin Kiermaier, Hideki Matsui, and Blake Snell are just some of those who played for Durham in that period. There were other visiting players including Daisuke Matsuzaka, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, just to name a few.
The Bull greeted Baseball Hall of Famers as well, such as when the late Tony Gwynn appeared at the DBAP in 2010 and threw out a ceremonial first pitch. The next year, Ryne Sandberg managed the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at the DBAP, with former Bulls player Chipper Jones coming back to Durham to have his number retired in 2012.
Crash Davis himself, Kevin Costner, returned to Durham and played a country concert in front of the Bull in 2008.
With a new year in 2021 will come a new chapter in Durham Bulls history and a new Bull; a fresh target for hitters looking to join names such as Craig Albernaz and Willy Adames in bashing the sign and earning themselves a steak.
Thanks to the Durham Bulls for this Capcom story & for these Capcom photos.
